


Zero Sum

by FanficAllergy, RoseFyre



Series: Patchwork - 50 Theme Challenge [27]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen, Minimalism, Pre-Canon, Random & Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 19:25:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13841397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanficAllergy/pseuds/FanficAllergy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseFyre/pseuds/RoseFyre
Summary: Haymitch Abernathy.  Effie Trinket. On paper they look like they wouldn’t work. You’d be right.  And you’d be wrong.





	Zero Sum

**Author's Note:**

> Theme: 14: Without Meaning  
> Words: 437  
> Summary: Haymitch Abernathy. Effie Trinket. On paper they look like they wouldn’t work. You’d be right. And you’d be wrong.

**oOo**

 

They met in the 63rd Hunger Games. He thought she was simply a flighty butterfly. She thought he was merely a washed out drunk. 

 

They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong.

 

**oOo**

 

Their first set of tributes were a pair of hollow-cheeked waifs from the Seam. They could have been twelve or two hundred and twelve. It didn’t matter; they were from Twelve. 

 

She was oddly hopeful. The waif-look was in this year. Surely that would help?

 

He was more realistic. Knowing the Capitol would see the beautiful girl from One and back her. 

  
They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong.

 

**oOo**

 

The next year, she spent the train ride cajoling their tributes into eating more. She gave them advice -- on the Arenas, on the Games, on the training.

 

He spent the train ride drunk, collapsed in a heap on the floor of his room.

 

She told him maybe they had a chance if he only tried more.

 

He told her Twelve never had a chance unless the Capitol cared, and fat chance of that, Princess.

 

They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong.

 

**oOo**

 

After the third year in a row where both of their tributes died in the bloodbath, they went back to Twelve’s rooms and shared a drink.

 

One drink turned into another, and another, and finally into a whole bottle.

 

When she woke up in his bed, she assumed it would be a one-time thing. That this wouldn’t change their partnership.

 

When he saw her lying next to him, he knew this was the closest he’d ever get to a real relationship. But that she’d never look at him the same way again.

 

They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong.

 

**oOo**

 

In the 72nd Games, they had their strongest tributes yet -- a well-fed merchant girl and a strong eighteen-year-old Seam boy.

 

She tried to bring back that old hope, that maybe one day things would change for the better.

 

He didn’t bother, knowing the Games would always be the same.

 

They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong.

 

**oOo**

 

On Reaping Day for the 74th Hunger Games, they woke with a resigned acceptance. Another year. Another set of dead tributes. It was a fact. One they’d learned to live with. 

 

Effie would push Haymitch into trying. Still holding out that infinitesimal hope. 

 

While Haymitch would steel himself to the inevitability. Nothing they’d try to do would save their tributes in the end. 

 

It didn’t matter. They had each other. They’d always have each other. 

 

They were both right.

 

And they were both wrong. 

 

**oOo**

**Author's Note:**

> AN:  
> Written: 2/27/18  
> Revised: 2/28/18
> 
> So...FanficAllergy wanted to randomize stuff. So we did! And ended up with a fic. We like randomizing and there isn’t enough of it in our other stuff. So screw it, we’re randomizing here. 
> 
> Things randomized:  
> \-- Characters/Pairing  
> \-- Setting  
> \-- Timing
> 
> Once we got that, FanficAllergy said, “Hold my beer!” and wrote three of the six sections. She then turned to RoseFyre and went, “Okay! Your turn!” who wrote the remaining three. Try to guess who wrote what.
> 
> We deliberately didn’t name Effie and Haymitch until the last section. It was a stylistic choice. 
> 
> You can get more information about our original writing here:  
> Website: https://www.roselarkpublishing.com/
> 
> Let us know what you think! Your reviews inspire us to write more. This is especially true with fic. Since we don’t get paid for this. ^_^ To those we do review, you’re the reason we haven’t abandoned our fics. We love you.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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